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(No'Mode1.) l M J. W. PAGE.

'Car Coupling.

No. 243,606. Patented June 28,1881.

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N. PETERS. Pham-Lnhagnpher. wmingmn. n, c.

UNITED STATES vvPATI-JNT OFFICE.

JOHN W. PAGE, OE wooDBURY, TENNESSEE, Assis-NOE vOE TWOTHIRDS To HENRY A. WILEY, LITTON B; MCEEREIN, AND JAMES A. JONES, OE

SAME PLACE.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No.1243,606, dated June 28, 1881.

` Application ined Amai-1,1881. (No model.)

Totali whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN W. PAGE, a citiz en of the United States, residing at foodbury, in the county of Gannon and State of Tennessee, have invented new-and useful Improvemeufs in Car-Couplings, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to ear-couplings in which the coupling-pin of one draw-head is held up by a yielding pin-support until the link ofthe adjoining car pushes the latter from beneath thepin, when the pin falls through its pin-opening in the draw-head and automatically couples the ears together.

The object of my invention is to improve the construction ofthe slidingand spring-impelled pin-support, whereby it performs several funetions, namely, to hold the pin until pushed from beneath it, to sustain the usual link in a level position to engage the adjoining drawhead, to hold the coupling-pin in drawing the cars in ease the lower end ofthe pin does not pass through the pin-opening in the bottom wall of the draw-head, and to hold the coupling-link at different heights. This I accomplish by the construction and arrangement of Figure l represents a longitudinal vertical sectional view of two draw-heads embodying my invention, with the longitudinally-sliding parts in position to couple when brought together 5 Fig. 2, a longitudinal section of one of the draw-heads, showing the mannerin which theyieldin g pin-support sustains the pin in case the lower end of the latter should not pass through the pin-openingin the bottom wall of the draw-head and Fig. 3 is a transverse seetional view on the line of pin-hole, Fig. 1.

The letter A indicates an Ordin ary draw-head, which is preferably cast of malleable iron in one piece, with the usual rectilinear chamber andpin-openings. Thisdraw-headissupported upon the under side of the car-platform by any ot' the well-known means employed for this purpose, and-between its rear end and a tixed abutment, B, is arranged the spring C, for permitting the draw-head to yield. In the present instance the draw-head is provided with an elongated slot, in which is arranged a strong loop, D, the ends of which are securely bolted to the abutment B, which serves to support the draw-head.

Vithin the draw-head is arranged the pinsupport E. It is composed of a rectangular or square head provided with a series of chambers, a, formed by projecting plates b, each of which is perforated near its forward end, as at c o c, the perforations all coinciding with each other. The chambers a a a. each extend rearwardly back of the perforations c, and the plates b thereby form extended bearings to support and sustain the coupling-links in a level and horizontal position to accurately engage the adjoining draw-head. The chambers extending rearwardly back of the pin-holes c therefore perform an important function, because they provide ample upports for retaining the links in a level position, and, further, by providing the pin-holes in the pin-support the plates b of the same serve to sustain the coupling-pin in drawing the ears in case the lower end of the coupling-pin does not pass through the pin-openinginthebottom wall ofthe drawhead, as represented in Fig. 2. This is of considerable advantage, because the pin is liable to fall into the position shownin Fig. 2, where the pin-support is divided into a series of chambers to provide for adjusting the height of the link for different cars. The pin-support E is extended through an aperture, d,- in the rear end of the draw-head, and through an aperture, c, in the fixed abutment B, and the projecting reduced stem or shank f is provided with a nut, g, or other device to retain it in place. Upon the stem or shank f, between the abutment B and the shoulder h, is` arranged a spring, i, the function of which is to normally throw the pin-supportforward and keep its pin-holes c out of coincidence with the pinopening in the draw-head, thereby holding the pin in a suspended position, as shown in Fig. 1, until the ears come together, when thelink of the adjoining car will pass into oney of the chambers a, push the pin-support rearward, and as soon as the pin-openings in the latter are brought into coincidence with the coupling-pin the latter will fall and couple the cars together.

The coupling-pinis attached to one end of a chain, G, the other end of which is attached to a pivoted lever, H, which can be operated from the side of the car, so that thepin can be raised and the cars uncoupled without passing between the car-platforms. The object of this chain is to provide aloose connection between the couplingpin and the operating-lever, and thereby permit the pin to freely drop.

It will, ot' course, be evident that the lengt tudinally-sliding pin-support need not extend through the rear end of the drawhead, as it could be entirelyinclosed within the draw-head and the springt' arranged between the rear end of the pin-support and the interior of the rear end of the draw-head.

A car-coupling has heretofore been provided ,with a pin-support composed of a series of connected parallel plates pivoted at the lower portion of the draw-head, the plates havin gperforations near their outer ends, and having a spring arranged in their rear; but such structure does not constitute my invention and is not claimed by me.

What I claim is- 1. In combination with the draw-head, the

spring-impelled pin-support E, arranged to slide longitudinally on the bottom walls ofthe draw-head, and constructed with the series of plates b, each plate having a pin-opening, c, with the chambers a extending rearwardly back of said pin-openings, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with theyielding drawhead, of the spring-actuated pin-supportE, constructed with the pin-openings c c in the series of link-supporting plates b, and the series of chambers a extcndin g rearwardly back of the pin-openings, the rear end ot' the pin-support having the stem or shankf arranged in the abutment B, andthe spring arranged on said stem or shank, all substantially as and for the purpose described. Y

In testimony whereof I have liercun to set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN W. PAGE.

Vitnesses JAMES A. JONES, W. C. TODD. 

